Northants close in on victory

Northamptonshire are poised to take another big stride towards promotion after
bowling Derbyshire to the brink of defeat on the third day of the County
Championship Division Two match at Chesterfield.

The home side were 289 for 8 for at the close, chasing an improbable target
of 494, after James Middlebrook scored his third championship century of the
season in Northamptonshire's 416 for 9 declared.

David Lucas picked up three wickets and skipper Andrew Hall and Middlebrook
each took two, but although the visitors claimed an extra half hour, they could
not finish the home side off. Northamptonshire had resumed the third day on 285 for 6, already a commanding 362 runs in front, and by lunch had added another 101 for the loss of Hall.

Derbyshire's only hope was to knock over the last four wickets quickly, but
despite a good spell with the new ball, it was 19 overs before they broke the
Hall and Middlebrook stand. Hall was clearly determined to bat Derbyshire out of the game and had faced 150 balls for his 44 when he edged a drive and was well caught by Martin Guptill low
to his left at second slip.

He had added 102 in 39 overs with Middlebrook and although Northamptonshire
were now 404 runs in front, there was no sign of a declaration. Middlebrook straight drove Greg Smith for six and Chaminda Vaas played some elegant strokes until he went for a big hit at Chesney Hughes and was bowled for 37.

Hall waited until Middlebrook cut Smith for the boundary which took him to his
hundred before setting Derbyshire the task of scoring the highest fourth-innings
total in the county's history.

At least they could draw some inspiration from last year, when they made 365
against Surrey at Queen's Park, and Martin Guptill and Chesney Hughes began
confidently by scoring 52 from the first 10 overs.

Hughes was clearly unhappy to be given out caught behind off Hall for 20 and
Smith (six) failed again when Lucas found some inswing to knock out his off
stump. Derbyshire's hopes rested with Guptill and the New Zealander unleashed some
scorching drives to move to 46 from 56 balls, but the wicket Northamptonshire
wanted came when he edged Hall onto his pad and Niall O'Brien took a low catch.

Wes Durston and Dan Redfern played some defiant shots but Vaas tempted the
former into a forcing stroke at a wide one, and Middlebrook took his side closer
to victory seven overs later. Redfern drove and hooked Hall for three fours in an over on his way to a 45-ball fifty, but Middlebrook found some extra bounce to have him taken at
first slip on 58 and Lucas cut one back to trap Luke Sutton lbw for 14.

Ross Whiteley then chopped Lucas into his leg stump and, when the visitors
claimed the extra eight overs, Tim Groenewald was dropped twice in the slips
before he was caught off bat pad at silly point.

Hall saw another slip catch go down off his bowling as Jon Clare and Tony
Palladino held on to take the match into the fourth morning.

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